cracktape

“If I looked as good as him I wouldn’t step down either.”

With the news of Rob Ford’s crack use reverberating around City Hall this week in Toronto only one question remains that even the Toronto Police and the journalistic teams of the city’s best papers haven’t been asking: was Rob Ford wearing the right outfit to announce he has used crack? We consulted with the style experts to find out!

Mayor Ford kept things simple in a black suit when he met reporters for both his proclamation and subsequent press conference. Remember that when the weather begins to get colder more muted tones are always a great way to get your message across. Black and white help RoFo give off an impression of both professionalism and style while apologizing to the people of Toronto for his crack cocaine use.

Rob Ford, a portrait of fashion in Canada. Photo by Canadian Press.

“Don’t be surprised if you see a lot of the girls on Church street wearing XXXL suit jackets with poppies this season,” says Toronto drag queen and tireless fashionista Barbie Jo Bontemps. “Style always seems to trickle down from fashion icons like Ford to the drag queens and then hit the runway in Paris.”

Always remember that for a larger man, black is your best friend. No one was thinking about Ford’s ongoing weight struggle when he wore this number at the crack press conference yesterday!

RoFo also seems to have done away with dress shirts that are his proper neck size and is starting a new trend of leaving the top button undone and covering it with his tie. Keep an eye on this — we may see much of the same at next year’s Fasion Week.

Ford’s simple black suit looks like a rack number from Brooks Brothers or Moore’s, a smart move that gives him all the style without the designer price tag, leaving him with a bit more pocket money to spend freely — and still look good doing it!

One important fashion accessory in the fall is a poppy pin in support of the Royal Canadian Legion. Ford contrasts his black suit jacket well with the red pin. To get the RoFo look and show you care about veterans, freedom, and style at your next big drug related press conference pick up your own pin at many subway stations, shopping centre entrances, and Legion halls near you for as little as a dollar! For an extra bit of flair try to get your hands on the slightly more rare felt covered poppy.

Ford also rocks a City of Toronto pin. While you may have never been mayor or the fourth largest city in North America you can still complete the look. Check out similar broaches on Etsy for around five bucks.

Don’t forget the flare! there is no need to be a bore when holding a press conference about the string of deceit and lies that he fed to voters in the aftermath of his crack tape becoming public knowledge, so Ford spiced up his outfit with an NFL team tie. Multi-coloured ties work great to breakup solid coloured suits on men!

“Vintage NFL ties are in this season.”

“Vintage NFL ties are in this season,” says Toronto based artist and style icon Andrea Pelletier, while wearing her Dallas Texans scarf. Queen West fashionistas have already been seen sporting other Father’s Day gifts as haute fashion lately including re-darned socks and coffee mugs.

The tie gives Ford a chance to have a little fun with the outfit while showing off a bit of his personality. Did you know RoFo coached a highschool football team for a number of years? You do now! By showing off his love of football on his tie Rob is letting us know he’s just a normal guy who loves football and was eventually asked to remove himself from the team he coached due to months of bad press. Try to include a little bit of your own self into the story your clothes tell.

Don’t let your fun tie get out of control! Ford’s multi-coloured neckpiece straddles the limit, but he made sure not to let the patterns get any busier — his look lets him have a little fun but still be taken seriously as he tells Torontians he has smoked crack and lied about it for half a year.

With his brother Doug flanking him wearing a similar outfit we can’t help but wonder who wore it better, and the tie instantly pushes it in RoFo’s favour. Not since Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have we seen such a stylish set of siblings with their own take on what makes them look good.

“”His graceful elegance and fashion forward thinking were the real takeaway from this press conference,” says Bontemps. “When it comes to fashion, it’s clear that yesterday was a pure victory for Mayor Ford. The public won’t soon forget his debonair portrayal of this season’s latest vestments.”

“If I looked as good as him,” says Bontemps, “I wouldn’t step down either.”

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